53 



the Caucasian silver fir (A. Nordmanniana) are the best, 

 but for decorative purposes there are many species of singular 

 beauty such as the noble silver fir (.4. noblis), the gigantic silver 

 fir (.4. grandis), and the Colorado silver fir (A. concolor). The 

 Santa Lucia silver fir {A. bracteata) is possibly the most remark- 

 able of any for its size and beauty and its egg-shaped purplish- 

 brown cones. A fine tree of this is growing at Eastnor Castle 

 in Herefordshire. I have not met with a large specimen in this 

 district. Closely allied to the silver firs is the Douglas fir 

 (Pseadotsuga douglasii). This is fairly common in this district. 

 One of the best specimens is growing at Canford Manor. This 

 is 105ft. high with a girth of 10ft. 11 in. Of other silver firs I 

 have seen in this district at least ten species whose locality and 

 dimensions have been duly noted. 



Among the Hemlock firs the largest and most stately is 

 Tsuga Albertiana of North-West America. It is a very graceful 

 tree and one of the most effective conifers for the park and land- 

 scape on account of its broad sweeping habit. One of the finest 

 trees I have seen is growing at Westonbirt, Gloucestershire. This 

 species is far superior to the Hemlock spruce of Canada. 



Spruce Firs. 



The so-called Norway Spruce (Picea excelsa) has a natural 

 range extending from the Pyrenees to Western Russia. It is 

 possibly, next to the Scots pine, the conifer most commonly seen 

 in British woodlands. It does not thrive under the influence of 

 salt-laden winds so it is generally confined to inland districts. Its 

 timber is imported in large quantities from Norway as " white 

 deal." There are many exceedingly ornamental spruces. The 

 Himalayan P. Morinda with handsome pendulous branchlets is one 

 of the most striking. A specimen of this at Charborough Park 

 is 84ft. in height with a girth of 9ft. 8in. A very decorative spruce 

 is the glaucous form of P. pungens known as Kosteriana. The 

 American Sitka spruce is a very hardy moisture-loving tree. It is 

 said that no other spruce makes such good light oars, and the 

 timber on that account is imported specially for that purpose. 

 There are specimens of this growing in the Upper Pleasure 

 Gardens and in front of Heron Court Estate office, near Hurn 

 Bridge. Probably the largest tree in these islands is at Castle 

 Menzies, Perthshire. In 1904 it measured 110ft. high with a girth 

 of 13ft. 2in. There are over twenty introduced spruces grown in 

 these islands and at least a good dozen or more are found in parks 

 and gardens in this neighbourhood. 



Cedar. 



The name Cedar is app^ed to various trees, but more 

 esepcially to the cedar of Lebanon and its geographical forms, the 

 Atlantic Cedar and the Deodar of the Himalayas. We have scrip- 

 tural authority for assigning to the Lebanon cedar royal pre- 

 eminence among trees. Ezekiel says no " tree in the garden of 



